The Year of Composition begins with the THE BLUES...
Fifth grade music class is focused on composition. And we have begun our “year of composition” with the blues! Students learned about the harmonic structure of the blues, did some improvisation using an e minor pentatonic blues scale, sang a blues song while accompanying themselves on pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments, analyzed the standard poetic form of blues lyrics and listened to and analyzed many examples of blues performed by well-known artists.
Here's an example of one of the songs we analyzed: If Trouble Was Money by Albert Collins.
This unit culminated in the writing and performing of their own blues songs.
Students were split into groups of two or three and asked to create a blues song, using the standard poetic form, which was at least three verses in length. After writing their song, they rehearsed it and finally did a live recording of their songs in front of their classmates at the “Slesinger Recording Studio”. The CDs have mixed and are ready for distribution. I am proud to present you with the hottest new album of the year, “The Fiske Fifth Grade Blues”! On this CD, you can hear your child’s song along with all of the blues songs written by the fifth grade students at Fiske this year. The last track is a karaoke track you can use if you’re inspired to write and sing another blues song!
The Fiske Fifth Grade Blues 2009-2010
1. A Song / Will, Rider, Alex 3:17
2. The Blues / Sarah, Sunny, Freddie 3:20
3. The Football Blues / Tyler, Scott 3:18
4. The Gumball Blues / Terrance, Maddie 3:17
5. The Halloween Rock Blues / The Osbornes (Cam, John, Tom) 3:23
6. Homework Blues / Isaac, Jake, Darius 3:20
7. The "I Don't Know" Song / Rachel, Abigail 3:23
8. Lady Lost Her Gaga / Reinaldy, Josie, Nathaniel 3:21
The Year of Composition begins with the THE BLUES...
Fifth grade music class is focused on composition. And we have begun our “year of composition” with the blues! Students learned about the harmonic structure of the blues, did some improvisation using an e minor pentatonic blues scale, sang a blues song while accompanying themselves on pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments, analyzed the standard poetic form of blues lyrics and listened to and analyzed many examples of blues performed by well-known artists.
Here's an example of one of the songs we analyzed: If Trouble Was Money by Albert Collins.
This unit culminated in the writing and performing of their own blues songs.
Students were split into groups of two or three and asked to create a blues song, using the standard poetic form, which was at least three verses in length. After writing their song, they rehearsed it and finally did a live recording of their songs in front of their classmates at the “Slesinger Recording Studio”. The CDs have mixed and are ready for distribution. I am proud to present you with the hottest new album of the year, “The Fiske Fifth Grade Blues”! On this CD, you can hear your child’s song along with all of the blues songs written by the fifth grade students at Fiske this year. The last track is a karaoke track you can use if you’re inspired to write and sing another blues song!
The Fiske Fifth Grade Blues
2009-2010
1. A Song / Will, Rider, Alex 3:17
2. The Blues / Sarah, Sunny, Freddie 3:20
3. The Football Blues / Tyler, Scott 3:18
4. The Gumball Blues / Terrance, Maddie 3:17
5. The Halloween Rock Blues / The Osbornes (Cam, John, Tom) 3:23
6. Homework Blues / Isaac, Jake, Darius 3:20
7. The "I Don't Know" Song / Rachel, Abigail 3:23
8. Lady Lost Her Gaga / Reinaldy, Josie, Nathaniel 3:21
9. My Prettiest Dress / Princess Irresponsible (Zimuzo, Isis, Christina) 3:26
10. Monkey Took My Banana Near a Savanah / Ge…3:21
11. One Morning / Brandon, Teshawn 3:19
12. Rainy Day / Ellie, Tyler, Brendan 3:18
13. The Rainy Day Blues / Sinclaire, Anne, Ramya 3:18
14. The Sibling Blues / Brad, Stuey 3:17
15. The Sibling Blues / Katie, Bliss 5:20
16. The Sibling Blues / Cole, Henry, Jason 3:22
17. Mr. Shemale / Grace, Gifford, JiSun 3:26
18. The Shopping Blues / The Girls (Jenny, Allison, Anne) 3:20
19. Song / Alex, John, Mark 3:26
20. Student Blues / Patrick, Blake, Sam 3:20
21. Stupid Blues Song / Sophie, Sabrina, RJ 3:26
22. Blues Karaoke Track / Garage Band 3:12